Why do people call Reagan a Great President?

[Procrustes Stretched]

You uh... you DO realize that there was nothing huge in the 90 recession right... Inflation in the 70s was out of control because of the Keynesian policies of the late 60s and early 70s...

And sourcing Reich... Really? How much tall thinking can one expect from a midget?

Reich is a smart man and reasonable man. Look at how he gives credit to Reagan for things in his argument. He is not a stupid tool like some here who think ideology is a foundation for argument.

btw, concerning Bob Reich, I did NOT give him my vote for Governor in the Massachusetts Democratic primary.

methinks you have a poor understanding of what exactly inflation si and what causes it. that happens to people who are poorly educated or worse partly educated, in a given subject... so no biggie. keep learning.

A fundamental concept in inflation analysis is the relationship between inflation and unemployment, called the Phillips curve. This model suggests that there is a trade-off between price stability and employment. Therefore, some level of inflation could be considered desirable in order to minimize unemployment. The Phillips curve model described the U.S. experience well in the 1960s but failed to describe the combination of rising inflation and economic stagnation (sometimes referred to as stagflation) experienced in the 1970s.

Thus, modern macroeconomics describes inflation using a Phillips curve that shifts (so the trade-off between inflation and unemployment changes) because of such matters as supply shocks and inflation becoming built into the normal workings of the economy. The former refers to such events as the oil shocks of the 1970s, while the latter refers to the price/wage spiral and inflationary expectations implying that the economy "normally" suffers from inflation. Thus, the Phillips curve represents only the demand-pull component of the triangle model.


Under the Bretton Woods agreement, most countries around the world had currencies that were fixed to the US dollar. This limited inflation in those countries, but also exposed them to the danger of speculative attacks. After the Bretton Woods agreement broke down in the early 1970s, countries gradually turned to floating exchange rates. However, in the later part of the 20th century, some countries reverted to a fixed exchange rate as part of an attempt to control inflation. This policy of using a fixed exchange rate to control inflation has been used in many countries in South America. For instance, Argentina (1991-2002), Bolivia, Brazil, Chile.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation

 

[Truthmatters]

I didn't say you made them up witless... I said you're intentionally misusing the stats... A tax CUT does NOT CONSTITUTE A POTENTIAL FOR AN INCREASE IN LIABILITY, DUMBASS... therefore your assertion that a Reagan taxcut cost the poor $245 is ABSURD on its FACE... therefore it had to be SOMETHING ELSE besides the tax cut and THAT something else was the DEMOCRATS DEMANDING THAT REAGAN CUT THE "loop-holes' in the tax code to "PAY" for the tax cuts... Reagan was working with a very strong Democrat Majority in both houses of Congress... this notion that Reagan could just pen up a budget and get it passed is absurd... his budgets were a function of intense negotiations with the subversives who were forced to the reaction of their constituents after Reagan took his principled ideas the 'the People"...; negotiations wherein Reagan did what he said he would do and the leftists in Congress summarily lied... For instance in the either 84 or 86 omnibus budget the congress agreed to a dollar for dollar cut in spending, if Reagan increased taxes... Reagan increased taxes, not one cent of spending was ever cut...

Hey assclown, Its the CBOs assessment and numbers. They have a better grasp of the thing than you do fella.

 

[GHook93]

You guys would have hated Jefferson even more than you hate Reagan, I'll bet.

Nope I consider Jefferson a top 3 President! Right there with Washington and Lincoln!

 

[GHook93]

Gosh, that explains the huge economic boom of the 80s, then.

Do you have viable proof of the economic boom? All that things I have read talk about Reagan's 80s as economic hardships, deficits and high unemployment!

Granted I was born in '78 so the '80s were a blur to me, even the '86 superbowl was a blur!

 

[Modbert]

Why do people call Reagan a Great President?

for the same reason people say "Washington never told a lie."

But but, he did chop down that cherry tree!

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

But but, he did chop down that cherry tree!

I am sure he had his manservants do it for him if he did.




Did he really have wooden false teeth?

 

[garyd]

1. Standard Leftist Cant but lacking any factual basis, Not that leftist ever require facts to make charges.

2. That was supposed to be part one of a deal with the congress only the Democratic congress viewing illegal immigrants as a good source for fraudulent votes never sent Reagan part two.

3. That was all on Carter. Reagan's first budget is for fiscal year 1981 which began in September 1981. Tax relief came in too late to effect 1981. Or for that matter to have a whole lot of impact much prior to the halfway point of 1982. It is in point of fact amazing how much crap that we are dealing with now started During Jimmy Carter's tenure as president.

4. Actually drug use has been on a roller coaster for the last 40 years...

5.The stock market crash then as now was tied to a government screw up of major proportions which lead to the collapse of a large segment of the housing market and the almost total destruction of the New England pleasure boating industry.

6.Non regulation and control my ass. The S&L collapse was due almost entirely to a change in the tax code which meant people could no longer deduct mortgage interest of their vacation homes from their taxes. This resulted in and almost complete collapse of property values in the vacation home segment of the real estate market on which the S&L's held a goodly percentage of the notes. This saw the values of there holdings halved or worse over night through no fault of their own.

7, Reagan didn't run up the deficit. Congress did the only budget Reagan ever submitted that came close to getting though congress was his first one after that congress proceeded to spend like there was no tomorrow routinely sending back huge omnibus monstrosities that exceeded Reagan's requests by nearly 3 to 2. Reagan had a choice. He could sign these monsters into law or he could shut down the government by vetoing them.

8. And shortly there after the Iranian Navy ceased to be by way of payback.
The chief lesson of the Viet Nam War is that the American left doesn't care what happens to third worlders under communist regimes as long as the US doesn't bother to try to prevent the slaughter. The American left is up to its eyeballs in the blood of millions of Southeast Asians and the deportation of millions more.

9.Uh no again congress write the budget not the president if funds were removed from the EPA it was congress's doing and not Reagans.

10.That shut down in US oil production came as a direct result of Democratic policy under Jimmy Carter. As usual you've got the wrong president.

12More BS. We didn't even know for sure what the hell it was and there were only a limited number of case known almost entirely by the fact that suddenly young gay men in the prime of life were being struck down by disease that should not have affected anyone below the age of 70 not on anti rejection drug treatments. That was June of 1981. It would be another three to 5 years before any one got a real handle on what was going on and exactly how big the problem was and there was nothing Reagan could have done to speed that process up.

13.Nope sorry did not fund Al Qeada directly. Gave money to an umbrella group of resistance fighter. Al Qeada was at that time a 1500 man Brigade in a 30 k army.

14. Hind sight is always 20/20 and the biggest problem in the Middle East since long before we ever existed as an independent country is that there almost always seems to be a plethora of unappealing choices and a dearth of good ones. So one finds one self having to choose the least bad of a good many evils.

15.Again wrong the big reason for the mortgage melt down was the continuing interference in how the housing market operated beginning with the way in which they chose to enforce anti red lining regulations in the late seventies.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

...

If I had a dollar for everyone who reads your inane posts I'd bet I'd still be as broke as I am today.

thanks for nothing.

yours truly
me.

 

[garyd]

Sorry I didn't write it strictly to cure your freaking ignorance dev my lad though it could have were you blessed with even a semi open mind, I wrote it to inform people who might be interested in the actual facts of the situation.

 

[Bern80]

I will admit I love his speeches, he truly was the great communicator. He also had a good message of smaller government. However, as I pointed out his record, well blows!

Kinda like Obama?

 

[Paulie]

Reagan understood the parallels between libertarianism and conservatism, and welcomed libertarians into the fold. For this, I commend him.

Otherwise, Reagan was just another establishment tool doing the bidding of someone higher than he. They all are.

 

[editec]

Why do people call Reagan a Great President?

Because they're clueless idealogues.

 

[midcan5]

Reagan was the worst president in modern times until Bush Jr completed the destruction of the middle class and the economy Reagan started. I give Reagan some credit as he at least recognized the tax cuts were a mistake and he raised taxes several times. At the end he relied on index cards to know where he was, so calling him great is only in the index card daydreams of right wing wackos who pay no attention to his actual negative accomplishments.

CEPR - America Since 1980: A Right Turn Leading to a Dead End

add this RR legacy:

http://www.oxan.com/about/news/2004-06-14Reaganlegacy.asp
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0607-09.htm

 

[Red Dawn]

Why do people call Reagan a Great President?

Because if you were a republican, and your voting choices for the last twenty years were Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney, Dan Quayle, Bob Dole, Gramps McCain, Poppy Bush, and George Junior, then Ronnie would look like a fucking genius in comparison.

 

[Bern80]

Reagan was the worst president in modern times until Bush Jr completed the destruction of the middle class and the economy Reagan started. I give Reagan some credit as he at least recognized the tax cuts were a mistake and he raised taxes several times. At the end he relied on index cards to know where he was, so calling him great is only in the index card daydreams of right wing wackos who pay no attention to his actual negative accomplishments.

CEPR - America Since 1980: A Right Turn Leading to a Dead End

add this RR legacy:

Oxford Analytica - News - Reagan's Legacy
Ronald Reagan's Legacy

yes because it has historically been shown that it is best to tax our way to prosperity right? Reagan was right on an awful lot of things. None more so than government is the problem, not the solution.

 

[Chris]

yes because it has historically been shown that it is best to tax our way to prosperity right? Reagan was right on an awful lot of things. None more so than government is the problem, not the solution.

No, government is not the problem and yes, government is the solution.

The opposite of government is anarchy.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

 

[mash107]

No, government is not the problem and yes, government is the solution.

The opposite of government is anarchy.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

No, the opposite of our current government is the one the Founders' established.

All the greatest travesties against human rights have been done in the name of government (nazism, socialism, etc).

 

[Bern80]

No, government is not the problem and yes, government is the solution.

The opposite of government is anarchy.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

That's a bit disingenuous. You know as well as I do that when it was said it was not in the spirit of promoting anarchy. It was meant that we should not be so quick to look for government to solve our problems because doing so usually means giveing up freedom of some type. It was meant as a comment on how incredibly inefficient government is at doing much of anything.

You are yet another individual who is all to quick to blame others and demand solutions to problems from everyone and everything except yourself.

 

[garyd]

Chris your retardation is showing. Government runs the scale from complete anarchy on the far right to totalitarian leftist swine on the far left. Without economic freedom all other freedoms are meaningless. And economic freedom means the freedom to fail as well. Economically you cannot limit failure without also inhibiting success and the latter is a really bad thing.

 

[GHook93]

I penned this thread a while back and sticking too it. Reagan is either over-rated by the right or under-rated by the left. Either way I can't see why he is considered such an amazing President. He was middle of the road in my book. His saving grace was reforming the tax code.

Getting the hostage release was great, he was lucky enough to be President when the USSR collasped (I think it probably would have happened anyways), enacting the tax code was good, lower taxes was good, but I think its a fallacy that he was a great President.

Here are reasons why:
(1) Iran-Contra Affair: Claims we are fighting a war on drugs, but helps Contras make money by selling drugs to Americans. Either way this is a criminal scandal. People rightfully scream about fast and furious, but this one was worse.

(2) Immigration Control and Reform Act: Was supposed to reform immigrations and prevent illegal immigration. Instead it did nothing to decease immigration, employers ignored it, more illegals poured over the borders and all this act did was give amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. This boneheaded move turned California from a reddish state to a firmly blue state!

(3) 1982 Recession: Yes he was dealt a bad hand by Carter, but a year into his Presidency he we saw a recession with unemployment up to 10.2%! The highest since the Great Depression. I little rough, but he still happened on his watch

(4) The War on Drugs: The biggest waste of money, resources and police man power in US history. It was and is a huge failure. It has increase drug use and has made it so countries like Mexico, Bolivia and Colombia can't combat the well funded anti-government groups and advance their countries. He didn't start the war, but he sure escalated it!

(5) Stock Market Crash of 1987: Yet another economic collaspe during Reagan's Presidency. Was it all him? No, but it happened on his watch.

(6) The Saving and Loan Crisis: Due to the non- regulations and non-control cough cough much like the current mortgage crisis, but on a smaller scale cough cough we had a financial crisis to which keeps up the poor economic trend during the Reagan 80s presidency. Correction this one was different than our current one. The Mortgage Meltdown was due to over regulation of the Community Reinvestment Act

(7) $3 trillion Dollar Budget Deficit: Up from $700 billion! How do people call him the grand daddie of fiscal conservatism? This is like a teenager getting daddy's AMEX card and going over $100K balance limit by $1 million dollars! Bush and Obamalearned well. You can't claim to be a fiscal conservative and leave office with such a deficit

(8) Lebanon: Didn't learn from Vietnam and got us in the Lebanese Civil War that put Hezbollah on the map and lead to a suicide bombing and the death of 200+ US soldiers and us running from Lebanon with our tails between our legs.

(9) Took funds from the EPA: People don't like the EPA on the conservative side and many times they do more harm then good, but protecting the environment is a necessary evil. The Clean Air Act took lead out of the air and Clean Water Act made US waterways the least polluted in the world! Actually this might not be that bad of one!

(10) Not helping us get off foreign oil: No mandates to drill domestically. No mandates for fuel efficiency, which lead to the gas guzzlers of the 90s and today. No money to start developing oil free cars. He failed here, big time! Like every President has!

(11) HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Like the slow denial approach Stalin took when Hitler invaded Russia. Reagan did little in the beginning to tackle the AIDS epidemic. He acted painfully too slow. Personally I think he acted so slow because he thought he had the "Final Solution" to the Gay problem. I regret that last line. I just think he ignored the problem as a minor problem!

(12) Funded, Started and Helped Al Qaeda: Yep we were fighting those big bad Russian Communist, so it was probably the right thing to do. However, we funded the same people we are fighting today. We allowed one of the most brutal and barbaric regime of 80s-90s (Taliban) to take over an brutalize the Afghan people. Reagan build OBL! Maybe after the Soviets destroyed Afghanistan America should have tried to build a few schools like Charlie Wilson suggested!

(13) Supported Sadam: Iran and Iraq at war, Reagan supported Sadam with weapons and aid. How did that turn out Mr. Reagan.

(14) Named Scalia to the Supreme Court: Scalia has a good philosophy too bad he never follows it. He is a hack and only applies originalism when it fits his agenda. He is a fraud. If it goes against his views then he interprets the constitution to fits what he believes!

(15) Brought Alan "I am a big reason for the mortgage and credit meltdown" Greenspan into government: Greenspan recklessly kept reducing interest rates that is a big reason we are in this mess. He also is the only the made suggestion on deregulation!


Now I consider myself a fiscal conservative and voted Republican in both the Primary (Romney) and Generals (McCain), but I think Reagan is falsely idolized by the right simply because he might have been the best public speaker since MLK. Reagan also had some of the best one liners, I even put one in my signature. But look closely at his record and what he accomplished and it piss poor! It pathetic and some is out right criminal!

You care to counter?